Archive for February, 2009

Fifty comics! That’s a nice, round number, right? The kind you can use as a benchmark of some sort, to put towards some ultimate purpose? I believe this to be the case, and as such, I have cooked up something special for you. Just for you, not for that other person. Let it be known that websites selling goods specifically to lactose-intolerant cats tend to be problematic.

And I just want everyone to know that it was really, really hard to stick with this story after the Tropicana news broke. It was a seductive temptress, indeed, but I am committed to seeing this story end before I make Arnell my bitch. There’s no rush for that, as I see it, the American public has already done it.

Jem (truly, truly, truly outrageous) asked in Wednesday’s comments about wacoms and how the strip is created. So here it is in all of its glamour:

I use a 4.5″ x 6.5″ wacom intuos, with the snazzy comfort-grip pen. I do my artwork at full-size 300 dpi (planning ahead for other uses) in Photoshop with an oval brush set to a 45º angle at 10 px or 20 px, depending on the stroke width I need.

1PT.Rule has always been drawn using the wacom, which I picked up last year to help color my children’s book. It took a long time to develop a comfort level, as you can see even from the scant few months that separate my first comics from the more recent. I’ve found that working larger helps, and allows for more sweeping, natural hand movements to make a better line. At this point I couldn’t live without it, honestly, and I think most people who gripe about them simply haven’t spent the time to develop that comfort level.

As to Corel Painter, I love everything about it except the interface. Switching from Photoshop to Painter always feels like moving from Mac to Windows for me — Adobe should just buy them and be done with it. Or integrate the tool set into Photoshop for mass global digital-art domination.

Donovan Beery

\\ Bio

Donovan oversees all creative development at Eleven19 Communications, Inc., where he also serves as an owner. He received a bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication & Design from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

His background in visual communications, web design, and creative concepts were put to good use when he was the chief web designer at Union Pacific and the corporate identity and web designer at Nexterna. He’s lectured on web design at Creighton University, taught visual communications at Metropolitan Community College and proudly served seven years on the board of directors for AIGA Nebraska. In 2009, Donovan was appointed by Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey to a three-year term on the Omaha Public Art Commission.